Vehicle-top



- J. MILLER.

VEHICLE TOP.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.22. 19 19.

Patented Nov. 18, 1919.1

ZSHEETS-SHEET l. 2

I INVENTOR LMILLERQ VEHICLE TOP.

APPLICATION FI LED JAN. 22. 1919.

1,322,326 Patented Nov. 18, 1919. I

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR UNITED STATES; PATENT OFFICE.

JOE KILLER, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.'

VEHICLE-TOP.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J E MILLER, a cit zen of the United. States, and resident of Pitts- I burgh, .in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new struction and when not in use is tucked away in the body of the car so as not be visible, in no way interferlng wlth the hnes of the car nor requiring any mater al change in the structure of the car.

To these ends my invention comprises the 'novel features hereinafter set forth and claimed.

I In the drawings Figure 1 is a view of a portion of an automobile body showing my improved top in position for use; Fig. 2 is a l-enlarged longitudinal section of the top 25 '.;-larged rear view partly in section; Fig. 4 is a plan view partly-in section showing the and portions of the car; Fig. 3 is an entop in --itscompartment; Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5-5"Fig. 3; Fig.- 6 is an enlarged section on the line 6'-'6 Fig.

3; Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical section of a portion of one of the standards with the roller in position at theupper end. thereof;

Fig. 8 is a view showing the manner of connecting the top to the, windshield supports, and Fig. 9'is a viewpartly in section of the body of the car showing the top rolled up in its: compartments In the drawingsthe numeral 2 designates the body of a common type of roadster. In the rear of theseat is the'top compartment 3 .which is closed by the sliding cover 4 worktrunnions 11 one of the trunnions being,

ing in the guides 5 and 6. ecured to the ends ofthe compartment 3 are the guides 7 having the vertical guidegrooves 8 formed therein adapted to receive the outwardly extending flanges 9 of the slides 10. These slides carry the roller 11 which is of the ordinary spring roller type for shades having the spring 11 and the round and rotatable with the roller, and the other rectangular in cross-section and connected to the spring of the roller, said trunnions fitting in correspondingly shaped openings in the slides 10.

' Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Nov, 18, 1919 Application filed January 22, 1919. Serial No. 272,510.

'shownin Fig. 9, and said roll fits down within the compartment 8.

- The standards 15 are .pivotally secured by the pins 16 at their lower ends to the body in 'the compartment 3 and when not in use these standards are folded down in the horizontal position shown in F igz/i within the compartment 3. These standards 15 have the vertical guide-grooves 15 formed therein adapted to receive the inwardly extending flanges 17 of the curtain-slides 1,0. The

guidegrooves 8 of the guides ,7 and the the guide-grooves 16 of the standards 15 coincide for the-purpose more fully hereinafter set forth. v

At the upper ends of the standards 15 are the springs 18 in the path of the slides 10, said springs acting to support the slides in theirelevated positions as shown in Fig. 7.

At the forward end of the top.12 is the rod 19, and the outer. ends of said rod are adaptedto engage the hooks 20 on'the side bars 21 of the windshield frame. A spring 22 is adapted to hold said rod in engagement with said hooks to prevent accidental displacement of same.

- VVhen-it is desired to employ my improved top the sliding cover 4 is moved back into the guide 5, and the standards 15 are raised into the position shown in Fig. 3 whereupon the roller 11 is moved upwardly withthe flanges 9 of the slides 10 movingin the guide-grooves 8 in the guides 7. Due to the fact that the guide-grooves 16 in the standards 15 coincide with the grooves 8 in the guides 7 the flanges 17 of the slides will engage the guide-grooves 16 of the standards 15 before the flanges 9 disengage from the grooves 8 of the guides 7. In this way I provide foraccurate guiding of the flanges 17 into enga ement with the grooves-16 of the standar s 15. The roller 11 is then moved up in the standards 15 until the slides 10 ass beyondthe springs 18 whereupon sai springs will act to support the roller in its raised position. The top 12 is then unrolled and'its front end secured to the hooks 20 of the windshield frame, the spring of the roller 11 tending to hold the top taut and prevent its sagging. The side-curtains 13 are then lowered and securely buttoned to the side of the car and the back-curtain ll is then secured at its lower end by the fastening devices 23 in the rear of the compartment 3, s0 that in case of rain said back curtain will keep the water from the compartment 8.

By my invention I provide a very simple and eflicient form of disappearing top which can be snugly stowed'away in the compartment provided for it m the body of the car, Without in any wayinterfering with the lines of the car or requiring any mate rial reconstruction of'same.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with the body of the vehicle having a compartment formed therein, collapsible standards pivotally connected to the body and adapted to fold in the-compartment, a horizontally disposed roller adapted to have sliding end engagement with said standards to form a support spanning the standards to brace them, spread apart in. an erect position against pivotal movement, anda top carried by said roller.

2. The combination with the body of the vehicle having a' compartment formed therein, a standard pivotally mounted in the compartment at each end thereof and adapted to fold therein, a roller movable vertically into and out of the compartment between said standards and having end engagement therewith for bracing the standards in erect postion, a top carried by said roller, and means for locking the roller to the standards in raised position.

3. The combination with the, body of the vehicle having a compartment formed therein, a standard pivotally mountedin the compartment at each end thereof and adapted to fold therein,. a roller movable into and out of the compartment between said standards, said roller having end guide members for sliding engagement with the standards, a seat for the roller in the coinpartment comprising supports engaging said guide members for alining the roller beneath said standards in sliding position therewith, and a top carried by said roller.

1 4. The combination with the body of the vehicle havinga compartment therein, collapsible standards pivotally mounted in said compartment and adapted to fold therein and having grooves formed therein,- a roller, slidin members at each end of said roller having anges adapted to engage said grooves formed in said standards, a top .carried by said roller, and means for supporting said roller at the upper end of said standards when raised.

porting said roller at the upper ends of said standards. v

6. The combination with the body of the vehicle having a compartment therein; standards pivotally mounted in said compartment and adapted to fold therein, a spring actuate'droller slidable on said standards, a top carried by said spring roller,

and means on the ends of said roller for guiding and supporting said roller in said standards when said standards are raised.

7. The combination with the body of the vehicle having a compartment therein, standards pivotally mounted in said compartment and adapted to.fold therein, a spring actuated roller slidable on said standards, a top carried by said roller, means on the ends of said roller for guiding and supporting said roller in said standards when said standards are raised, and means for securing the front end of said top to the windshield.

In testimony whereof, I the-said J on MIL- LER have hereunto set my hand,

JOE MILLER.

Witnesses: I

A. E. CLANoY, ROBT. D. TOTTEN. 

